Suchergebnisse

The viability of firms that participate in industrial symbiosis (IS) is influenced by the impact that by-product synergies have on the economic efficiency and resilience of those firms in the IS network. Systems theory, industrial ecology, and value chain dynamics constitute the necessary frameworks to analyze the viability of IS value chains through efficiency and resilience assessments. Using Mexico's Altamira Industrial Port as a case study, we identify and describe three IS value chains A, B and C and build variables to measure viability through efficiency and resilience. We find that only the three participating firms in value chain B are both sufficiently efficient and resilient to constitute viability. Moreover, these three firms (CABOT, INSA, and CHEMTURA) represent an anchor in port's/network's IS viability through the integration of a resilience and efficiency analysis by value chain. The study attempts to get an improved systemic understanding of IS value chain viability if resilience is aggregated to the efficiency analysis of by-product synergic exchanges of each firm involved in the IS. Finally, we recommend applying modular assessments on efficiency and resilience to firms participating in IS value chains, because according to the size and length of stressors influencing the IS dynamics, different actions should be implemented in the industrial ecosystem to anticipate potential scenarios where short-term, long-term, and structural stressors will endanger the viability of the IS network/value chain ; This project has received funding from the KTU School of Economics and Business, grant holder of the European Research Area Grant – ERA chairs – "Industry 4.0 impact on management practices and economics" and the ERASMUS + Program of the European Union (Jean Monnet Excellence Center on Sustainability, ERASME) and CAP 20-25 Academia ; Postprint (author's final draft)

Once considered a marginal or even irrelevant issue, in recent years, the environment has come to occupy an increasingly important place on the political, social and economic agenda. Environmental conflicts are often due to conflicting political and economic interests and can have major social repercussions. Until recently, little economic value was attached to drinking water; the same was true of arable land, energy generation and most natural resources. Pollution was regarded as a minor problem. Today, the economic and social value and costs of the environment are seen as incalculable and growing. Soil, food, water and air pollution have led to a significant increase in disease, and the cost of the ensuing environmental clean–up can be exponential. While the solutions are necessarily biological, they can have considerable economic consequences, too ; Postprint (published version)